Description
Comfort meets culinary magic in this creamy potato soup, blending rustic Irish tradition with hearty home-cooked goodness. Silky potatoes, crisp bacon, and rich cheese come together, inviting you to savor each luxurious spoonful of warmth and flavor.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 4 medium russet or Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and diced (about 5 cups)
- 3 cups chicken or vegetable broth
- 1 cup milk (whole or 2%)
- 1 cup heavy cream
Protein and Seasoning Ingredients:
- 4 slices bacon, diced (optional)
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (for thickening)
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Topping Ingredients:
- Shredded cheddar cheese
- Sliced green onions or chives
- Sour cream
- Additional cooked bacon, crumbled
Instructions
- Render the bacon in a spacious pot over medium flame until it turns golden and crisp. Extract the bacon with a perforated utensil, preserving approximately two tablespoons of rendered fat. If omitting bacon, substitute with equivalent butter or olive oil.
- Introduce chopped onions into the pot, sautéing until translucent and softened. Incorporate minced garlic, allowing it to release its aromatic essence for approximately one minute.
- Tumble diced potatoes into the pot along with chicken broth, thyme, salt, and pepper. Elevate temperature until liquid reaches a rolling boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer. Cover and allow potatoes to tenderize, approximately 15-18 minutes.
- Create a silky thickening agent by whisking flour and milk until completely smooth. Gently integrate this mixture into the simmering soup, followed by heavy cream. Continue cooking for 5-7 minutes, stirring periodically to prevent scorching.
- For enhanced creaminess, utilize an immersion blender to partially puree the soup, maintaining some potato chunks for textural contrast. Alternatively, transfer half the soup to a standard blender, process until velvety, then reincorporate into the pot.
- Transfer the steaming soup into serving vessels. Embellish with sharp cheddar cheese, freshly snipped green onions, dollops of sour cream, and reserved crispy bacon fragments. Serve immediately while piping hot.
Notes
- Bacon Brilliance: Crisp the bacon separately to control crispiness and prevent soggy texture, ensuring maximum flavor and crunch in every spoonful.
- Potato Perfection: Choose starchy potatoes like Russet or Yukon Gold for creamy, thick soup consistency that breaks down smoothly during cooking.
- Texture Tactics: Partially blending creates a luxurious balance between creamy base and hearty potato chunks, giving soup more interesting mouthfeel.
- Diet-Friendly Modifications: Swap dairy with plant-based alternatives like coconut milk for vegan version, or use gluten-free flour to make soup celiac-friendly.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Appetizer
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 400
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 30 g
- Saturated Fat: 18 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 8 g
- Cholesterol: 90 mg